How to Care for Your Holiday Houseplants

The holidays can be a time of stress, but your houseplants should not contribute to the stress. For the holiday season, your poinsettia, holiday cacti, and amaryllis only need sunlight, moisture, and proper drainage. Here is a quick guide about what your houseplants want this holiday season!

Your Plant’s Holiday Wishlist

Sunlight

Light alone is nott enough - your plants want and need natural light so it is key to make sure they get bright, indirect sunlight. If you are wondering what indirect sunlight will look like, it will be bright enough to be able to read indoors without needing to squint from the brightness. Your plant should have a blurry shadow - this is a great indicator that it is getting enough indirect sunlight.

Water

The top plant killer is overwatering. I am guilty of this. Considering their vulnerability because of the cold, it is very important to water your plant based on their needs. To keep from overwatering, wait for the top inch of the potting mix to be dry. When you water the plant, be sure to water the potting mix until it is moist from top to bottom and avoid watering the leaves themselves.

Drainage

The first step to proper drainage is transferring your plant into a real flowerpot from the cellophane wrapped plastic pot it is usually purchased in. Make sure you have a saucer to place under your flowerpot’s drainage hole to prevent any furniture stains. Depending on how bad you are at watering, this could be a saucer or a bowl or something from the garden center made specifically for the job.

Good Luck!